Clamp

ABSTRACT

A clamp ( 50 ) to enable the location of an article, such as a hanging basket, relative to a member, such as a brick, having a pair of spaced surfaces, the clamp having a pair of arms ( 51, 52 ) which may be generally parallel and which have a spacing which can very from a spacing which is greater than the distance between the surfaces to a spacing less than this, means ( 58 ) to cause the spacing to be reduced when the arms ( 51, 52 ) are adjacent each of the surfaces, to firmly locate the clamp ( 50 ) relative thereto, and means ( 61 ) on the clamp ( 50 ) to permit connection of the article thereto.

[0001] This invention relates to an improved clamp and, in particular, to a clamp which is adapted to enable an article to be connected to a body having spaced surfaces.

[0002] In a particular application it is to enable an article to be connected to a brick in a wall or other surface and the article can, if required, be a hanging basket, lights, signs or the like.

[0003] It is often desired to connect hanging baskets to brick or other block walls and there are many applications where it is not desirable to have to breach the walls such as by drilling apertures therein with a masonry or other drill to receive a wall plug or other form of connecting means and then connecting a support member to the wall by the use of spurs, bolts or the like into the holding means.

[0004] It is the principle object of the invention to provide a clamp whereby an article can be connected to a wall without the necessity of perforating the wall surface and with little or minimal variation of the surface.

[0005] The invention, in its broadest sense, includes a clamp to enable the location of an article relative to a member having a pair of spaced surfaces, the clamp having a pair arms which have a spacing which can vary from a spacing which is greater or less than the distance between the surfaces to a spacing less or greater than this, means to cause the spacing to be reduced or increased when the arms are adjacent each of the surfaces and means on the clamp to permit connection of the article thereto.

[0006] In a particular form the invention provides a clamp to enable the location of an article relative to a member having a pair of spaced surfaces, the clamp having a pair of arms which are generally parallel adjacent their free ends and which have a spacing which can vary from a spacing which is greater than the distance between the surfaces to a spacing less than this, means to cause the spacing to be reduced when the arms are adjacent each of the surfaces and means on the clamp to permit connection of the article thereto.

[0007] The clamp may be able to be tightened by the use of a threaded member passing through at least one of the arms thereof and is provided with a means to which the article can be connected.

[0008] In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practice we shall describe one embodiment of the invention in relation to the accompanying drawings; in which:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a first form of clamp;

[0010]FIG. 2 is a similar elevation of a second form of clamp.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a third form of clamp;

[0012]FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a fourth form of clamp;

[0013]FIG. 5 is an isometric of a fifth form of clamp;

[0014]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a sixth form of clamp;

[0015]FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a clamp which operates in a sense opposite the previous forms; and

[0016]FIG. 8 is an alternative form of clamp of the invention

[0017] Referring firstly to FIG. 1, the clamp 10 has a pair of arms 11 and 12 which are interconnected at one end thereof by a web member 13. Whilst the material of construction of the clamp is not critical to the invention it would normally be of a metal, although an engineering great plastics material could be used and the web 13 and two arms 11, 12 can be formed from a single piece of material or could be fabricated

[0018] The thickness of the material and the width of the clamp will be determined by the load to be carried. The spacing of the arms will depend on the height of the brick or block with which it is to be used.

[0019] Also, the dimension of the web 13 will be such that the arms 11 and 12 are normally at a spacing approximately equal to the height of the brick with which the clamp is to be used, or somewhat greater than this.

[0020] The arms may have inturned ends 14, 15 to ensure a good purchase onto the upper and lower surfaces of a brick 20 with which the clamp is to be used.

[0021] A rod 16 which has a length slightly greater than the normal spacing between the arms 11, 12 and which is threaded at least at its ends.

[0022] The rod 16 is adapted to pass through apertures, not shown, in the arm and nuts 30, 31 are threaded onto each end.

[0023] In an alternative, instead of a nut being threaded onto one end there may be a head formed on one end either integrally with the rod or a thread could be welded or otherwise is connected thereto.

[0024] Connected to the clamp, as shown, to arm 11 but, if required, to web 13 there is a support 35 which has a hook 36 at its outer end.

[0025] In use, the free ends 14, 15 of the arms 11, 12 are located between the outer surfaces of the brick 20.

[0026] Depending on the formation of the wall it may be unnecessary to remove any mortar or cement from between the bricks but if this terminates close to the outer surface of the brick it may be desirable to remove some mortar so that the arms can pass approximately 50 mm over the brick.

[0027] Once the clamp is located simply by tightening one of the nuts 30, 31, if required both of these, the two alms are drawn inwardly and the inturned ends 14 and 15 can obtain a good purchase on the surfaces of the brick and the assembly is positively located.

[0028] The hook 36 can then be used to receive a hanging basket or the like or could be used for any other required purpose where an article has to be located adjacent a wall.

[0029]FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention and, in this case, the clamp has a body 40 which may be integral and has a flange 41 which has two inwardly directed portions 42 and 43 and has an upwardly and outwardly extending member 44 with an inwardly directed hook 45 at its outer end.

[0030] In this embodiment too there can be a threaded rod 46 which can pass through apertures in the inturned portions 42 and 43 of the member. In this embodiment at the end 43 the rod is shown as permanently connected at the end 42 there is a nut 47.

[0031] In this embodiment there are two angle members 50 and 51 which are connected to the clamp 40 in such a way that one of their flanges 52 and 54 is adapted to overlie the is adjacent surface of the brick and the other flanges 53 and 55 can abut the front face of the brick.

[0032] In use, this embodiment is effectively identical to the earlier embodiment except that I do not show any inturned ends on the arms rather the arm embrace the brick and when the nut 47 is tightened this pulls the alms together and clamps the device to the brick.

[0033] Again, in this case, it may be necessary to move some mortar or cement between the courses of the brick although if the mortar is somewhat deep this may not be necessary.

[0034] Once connected the member 44 and hook 45 operate identically to the equivalent member 35 and hook 36 and the first embodiment.

[0035] Referring now to FIG. 3, the clamp 50 may well be made of an aluminum extrusion which has a pair of arms 51, 52 which have inturned inner ends 53, 54 and may also have flanges 55 and 56 which act to locate the clamp relative to the front surface 57 of the brick.

[0036] Again, I have a threaded member 58 which may be connected at one end 59 to arm 52 and which extends through an aperture in arm 51 and a nut 59 and pulled down against a washer 60 to ensure the clamp is held against the brick.

[0037] In this form of device there is a hook 61 to hold a hanging basket or the like and in this embodiment this is below the clamp rather than above the clamp as in the previous embodiments.

[0038] The clamp 70 of FIG. 4 could again be an extrusion and at its clamping end can be considered identical to that of the clamp of FIG. 3.

[0039] In this embodiment the arms 71, 72 are interconnected adjacent their inner ends, the end 73 of arm 71 effectively being at right angles to the planes of the bodies of the arms to is provide a surface 74 against which a sign or other member can be connected.

[0040] The clamp 80 of FIG. 5 is a fabricated form of the clamp and this may have arms 81, 82 which are interconnected by a web 83 the arrangement being such that the arms are initially effectively parallel and at right angles to the web.

[0041] The inner ends 84 and 85 of the arms are identical and each have an inwardly directed portion 86, 87 and an abutment means 88 and 89 to locate the flange relative to the face of the brick, block or the like.

[0042] The bolt 91 can be positioned at any required position along the arms 81, 82 but it will be appreciated that the closer this is to the point of connection to the brick, the greater the pressure which can readily be applied to the brick.

[0043] The member 83 may be provided with a number of holes 90 to which a sign, a light or other article can be connected.

[0044] The embodiment 95 of FIG. 6 is generally similar, at its inner end, in form to the embodiment of FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the arms 96, 97 are of a flexible material, such as steel.

[0045] The arm 96 may extend downwardly and meets arm 97 and can extend downwardly therefrom to form a hook 98. This hook could be used to hold a hanging basket or a coiled hose or other articles. If the clamp is to hold a sign or other article which is to be attached thereto, a plate 99 can be connected to the extension of the arm 96 and the book 98 can be omitted.

[0046] The embodiment of 100 of FIG. 7 can be shown as being similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4 except that the extensions 103 and 104 extend outwardly from the arms 101, 102 as do the abutments 105, 106.

[0047] In this case the rod 107 has a threaded outer ends 108 which pass through apertures in arms 101, 102 and nuts 109 are located inside the arms 101, 102.

[0048] Of course, if required, and as shown in previous embodiments, one end of the rod may be connected to one of the arms and the other end is threader and passes through an aperture in the adjacent arm.

[0049] This clamp operates not against the brick or block about which it extends but the bricks or blocks on the courses higher and lower than the brick or block about which it extends.

[0050] In this case the abutments 105, 106 rest against the outer surfaces of these two bricks above and below and when the nut 109 is moved in a direction to be unscrewed from thread 108 the arms are caused to move apart and the clamping action occurs against the surfaces of the two bricks above and below.

[0051] In this case the web 110 can be provided with apertures or the like to permit the connection thereto of any article.

[0052] In any of the preceding embodiments I may provide the inner parts of the clamp with a resilient coating or covering partly to increase the frictional connection between the clamp and the brick and partly to act as a cushion between the clamp and the brick to restrict any movement thereto.

[0053] The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 has a different physical arrangement but still operates against the bricks to hold the clamp in position.

[0054] The clamp has a pair of plates 111 which, at their outer ends abut a washer 112 through a resilient washer 113 and have acting against their inner surfaces a washer arrangement 114 which may be formed of two washers which act through a resilient washer 115.

[0055] Passing through the washers there is a threaded bolt 116 having a head 117 which abuts the washer arrangement 114 and which has threaded thereon a nut 118.

[0056] The free ends 120 of the plates 111 abut the junction of the mortar and the adjacent brick 123 and part way along their length abut a corner of a central brick 124.

[0057] The arrangement is such that when the clamp is located and the nut is tightened, the pressure of the head 117 against the washer arrangement acts to cause the plates 111 to move outwardly which movement is prevented by the location of the free ends 122 of the plates and the assembly becomes locked.

[0058] A fixture means, not shown, can be fitted beneath the nut 118 or can be located over the bolt and held in position by a further nut.

[0059] In each case when it is no longer required to use the clamp to support an article it is only necessary to release the nut or nuts on the rod or bolt which will loosen the clamp relative to the brick and enable a person to move the clamp outwardly.

[0060] It would normally not be necessary to do any making good as far as the wall is concerned once the clamp is removed.

[0061] Whilst I have illustrated a number of forms of the invention it will be appreciated that these cam be modified within the scope of the attached claims. 

I claim
 1. A clamp to enable the location of an article relative to a member having a pair of spaced surfaces, the clamp having a pair aims which have a spacing which can vary from a spacing which is greater or less than the distance between the surfaces to a spacing less or greater than this, means to cause the spacing to be reduced or creased when the arms are adjacent each of the surfaces and means on the clamp to permit connection of the article thereto.
 2. A clamp as claimed in claim 1 to enable the location of an article relative to a member having a pair of spaced surfaces, the clamp having a pair of arms which are generally parallel adjacent their free ends and which have a spacing which can vary from a spacing which is greater than the distance between the surfaces to a spacing less than this, means to cause the spacing to be reduced when the arms are adjacent each of the surfaces and means on the clamp to permit connection of the article thereto.
 3. A clamp as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the generally parallel arms are interconnected by and are integral with a web member.
 4. A clamp as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means to cause the spacing between the arms to be reduced is a rod member which can be connected at one end to one of the arms and which can pass through an aperture in the other arm and means whereby force can be applied on the arm through which the rod passes to cause the spacing between the aims to be reduced.
 5. A clamp as claimed in claim 4 wherein the end of the rod member which passes through the aperture in the arm is threaded and wherein the force applied to the arm can be applied by tightening a nut on the thread.
 6. A clamp as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the rod member passes through apertures in each of the arms.
 7. A clamp as claimed in claim 6 wherein each end of the rod member is threaded and nuts are placed on each thread.
 8. A clamp as claimed in any previous claim wherein the ends of each of the arms is in-turned to enable good purchase on the surfaces.
 9. A clamp as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each arm is formed from and angle member, the other flange of which is directed inwardly of the surfaces, the arrangement being such that the angle members abut the surfaces and an additional surface which is effectively normal to the two surfaces.
 10. A clamp as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the faces of the arms which engage the surfaces have a resilient pad thereon.
 11. A clamp as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is an extension from the clamp to receive the article to be carried by the clamp.
 12. A clamp as claimed in claim 11 wherein the extension may be an arm extending outwardly or upwardly and outwardly from the clamp and having means thereon to receive the article.
 13. A clamp as claimed in claim 11 wherein the means to receive the article is a hook.
 14. A clamp as claimed in any preceding wherein the surfaces are surfaces of a brick or block.
 15. A clamp as claimed in claim 14 when appended to claim 1 wherein the arms are adapted to enter the courses on either side of a brick or block which is part of a wall or the like and wherein the arms are caused to move outwardly to contact the surfaces of adjacent bricks or blocks.
 16. A clamp as claimed in claim 15 wherein each of the arms lies between a member and a surface, means associated with the surface to cause the arms to be moved apart to lock against the members.
 17. A clamp as claimed in claim 16 wherein the arms lie at an angle and the means associated with the surface comprises a member located within the included angle of the arms to abut the inner surfaces thereof and a bolt or the like passing through the means and the surface, the arrangement being such that when the bolt is tightened, the arms are moved outwardly. 